It’s finally 2019, and that means we have a whole year to uphold our New Year’s resolutions. Resolutions can be about anything from losing weight to getting organized, but one not so common resolution is to be more environmentally friendly. After being introduced to some environmental issues in my first semester, I decided to pursue greener living as my New Year’s resolution.
Greener living doesn’t necessarily mean you have to drive a hybrid, go vegan, or hug trees (although those are all good things to do). Living a greener life could start with something as simple as recycling your trash from lunch or choosing to use a reusable water bottle rather plastic ones. Regenerative.com defines green living as “ a global movement that allows people to live better more environmentally fused lives that changes destructive habits and replaces them with habits that contribute towards helping the environment and living a safer and more clean life.”
Greener living is easy to incorporate into almost all aspects of your life. For those interested in lawn care, there are environmentally friendly practices to get rid of those pesky pests instead of using pesticides that could run into your water sources. For sports fans, there are tons of opportunities to recycle at games rather than just throwing your concessions away. For all the shoppers out there, learn the benefits of buying green and how to explore brands that are eco-friendly here.
Have a fridge full of leftovers or cabinets full of canned food you’re never going to eat? Learn how to reduce food waste by composting or donating them to your local food pantry or homeless shelter. There are countless others ways to live greener and you can find all the resources you need to do so here!
I have decided to take on a few of these practices myself. Thankfully, the University of Kentucky makes recycling super accessible all across campus and Lexington has a curbside recycling program for residents off-campus, so that should be an easy part of my resolution. If you do not have either of these options, you can check here for an entire list of recycling locations in Kentucky! Not sure what’s recyclable? Every recycling location may have different specifications, but you can check out the Environmental Protection Agency’s website on recyclable materials to learn more! UK also provides easy access to water stations that make having a reusable water bottle extremely practical, so I will definitely be doing that one! UK also has a few organizations that also offer students the opportunity to help the environment. As I go throughout this semester, I hope to find many more awesome opportunities to fulfill my New Year’s resolution!
Entering my environmental issues class this semester, I am excited to explore the idea of sustainable living, and I hope that you all will join me on this journey towards helping the world be a little greener.